When Hearts Meet

Book Series: Stand Alone Title (Sequel to Where the Heart Leads)

Publishing Date: 2001

Author: Anita Stansfield

Publisher: Covenant Communications, Inc.

Category: LDS Historical Romance
Point of View: Third Person Limited: Ethan and Sara
Chapter Count: 8
Page Count: 130

To all the good members of the Oklahoma Tulsa Mission who are taking such good care of Elder Stansfield. Thank you. (That would be John, her oldest, because her next oldest son, Jake, served his mission [With my youngest brother!] in the England London South mission sometime during 2004-2007.) 

Chapter 1      Coming Home
Sterling, Utah-1902

After Ethan Caldwell lost his pregnant wife who died in his arms on the kitchen floor along with the unborn child due to hemorrhaging from early labor complications, he distanced himself from his Mormon religion and turned to drinking to deal with his grief. That's how he lost his house and property which Jon and Maddie bought as Ethan discovers as he rides up on his horse, determined to make peace with his past by paying one last visit to his old home where he was once so happy. He's back in the church and hasn't fallen off the wagon in months.

Since the last book, Maddie and Jon Brandt have two children with another on the way. Dr. Brandt continues to serve the community and work at home with his own clinical wing plus separate upstairs guest rooms to accommodate any overnight patients and their family members (or Ethan). Jon and Maddie are happy to meet Ethan and immediately take him in.
Ethan tells his story: at age fifteen, he was migrating west from Arkansas when he reached Utah, fell ill, and was taken in by a nice elderly woman who shared the gospel with him. He later married then lost his wife in this very kitchen. Jon and Maddie sympathize. 
Jon just happened to break his ankle so he's not much good around the house and barn. Ethan just happens to need a place to stay and a job. Problem solved.

Chapter 2      Running West

Four days later, a telegram arrives from Boston. Jon's brother-in-law, Harrison Hartford, died rather tragically and unexpectedly leaving his sister, Sara, a widow and her five-year-old son, Phillip, fatherless and alone.
Maddie and her son and daughter take this news very hard, bursting into tears in front of the two men. Maddie has to leave the room, she's that upset. Jon follows her. 

Ethan gathers the two weepy children to him and gives them a little (condescending) talk about dealing with loss and grief, suggesting they write letters (with dad's help) to send to their cousin expressing their sympathies.

Thousands of miles away, in Boston, Sara opens the letter from her brother inviting her to come to Utah so they can all mourn this tragedy together. Since Sara was falling out of love with her emotionally distant, controlling husband anyway, she sees no reason to remain in Boston. Might as well take Jon up on his offer for a permanent visit. Mona, Sara's faithful house servant, starts packing for the big move. She shows Sara a paper she found hidden in the china closet. It would appear her late husband's business dealings weren't entirely legal. Bad men were most likely behind his "suspicious" death. Sara decides she'll think about it later.
Sara sells the family home and settles all her late husband's accounts with their attorney, Geoffrey, who tells Sara she's nuts. 
Taking precautions, Sara sends a message to a private detective, Mr. Saunders, informing him of the entire situation, including the paper Mona found. Mona and Sara continue getting everything ready for the journey. Mona will come too. Oh, and Sara is pregnant.

 A few days later, Sara, Mona and Phillip board the train west.

A reluctant Ethan agreed to pick up Sara at the depot. He is immediately struck dumb by the lovely, young widow's poise, beauty and intelligence. 

Chapter 3      The Distinguished Mrs. Hartford

Sara and her party are comfortably settled in the extra rooms in the family residence on the opposite side of the house from Ethan's room (because we can't have any hanky-panky going on in an LDS novel!). Mona immediately takes over all the cooking and housekeeping duties because Maddie got sick and she's about to pop any day. Ethan helps supervise the children. Jon is still laid up with his bum foot. Sara is grateful for this opportunity to "find herself" she's also unsure about Ethan, an unlearned man who never learned to read or write beyond his own name. That don't impress her much. Ethan's feelings are hurt by Sara's patronizing behavior towards him. Nevertheless, he REALLY likes Sara.
Maddie and Jon reassure Sara, for an Arkansas redneck, Ethan is trustworthy. Besides, the children love him.

Chapter 4     Something in Common

As the chapter title implies, Ethan and Sara discover they have something in common: both think Sara is being a witch. Sara feels bad for giving Ethan such a hard time about his illiteracy and offers to tutor him. Ethan will consider it. They also have a nice chat about the difficulty in losing a spouse.
Maddie has the baby. A girl. Sara finds herself thinking more about Ethan and what a good man he is. He knows she wasn't close to her husband and Sara cries when Ethan tells her the tragic story of how his wife died.
For two weeks, Ethan struggles to get thoughts of Sara out of his head. He even prays about it before realizing the Lord WANTS him to get together with this amazing widow. Ethan's thoughts are so disturbing to him, he stays in the barn until Sara is sent to fetch him for dinner. Ethan won't come. Jon hobbles out to talk to him.

Chapter 5       Fire and Ice (A dream won't come true. Storms are brewing in your eyes, Sara!)

Still hiding in the barn, Ethan can't stand it any longer. He tells Jon about his feelings for Sara. They come from different worlds. It would never work. He's not worthy of her. Jon tells Ethan he's an idiot because he should be telling all this to Sara, not him.
The following Sunday, Sara decides she's feeling up to attending her first Mormon worship service and ends up enjoying it. Later, Sara and Ethan sit down with a copy of "The Book of Mormon" for Ethan's first reading lesson. Sara listens, patiently correcting him, as he reads aloud from the very first chapter. They pause often to discuss it. Cue the romantic attraction!
Ethan whines to Jon (again) about his fears of "marrying up" since Sara comes from a higher socioeconomic class, it's SO obvious they can never be together. Jon tells him to go for it anyway.

Chapter 6      Fools Together

December is here with snow and cold temps. Ethan is hitching up the horses for a trip to town. Sara, dressed in warm clothing, requests to come along as a cure for her cabin fever. They have another nice chat during the drive; getting to know each other better.
Back home, Sara watches Ethan care for the horses and nearly swoons over how masculine Ethan is! Sara realizes she completely misjudged this man. Before she can apologize any further, Ethan steps over and kisses her. Sara responds. Both agree they are fools. Fools in love!
A threatening telegram arrives for Sara, the bad men who killed her husband are coming for what is rightfully theirs. Sara tells Jon, Maddie and Ethan everything. Still upset, Sara stands up too fast from the kitchen table and collapses. Ethan catches her and carries her upstairs to bed.
Sara is okay. She even joins the rest of the family for dinner. She's grateful to Ethan for his moral support during this time of trial. Sara declines joining them all for family scripture study and goes to bed early.

Chapter 7      Water

Ethan follows her upstairs. He can't wait any longer to declare his feelings to Sara, get down on one knee and propose marriage. By accepting his offer and taking his name, Sara (and her pile of money) would be protected from those bad men. He promises Sara the money would always be hers, he wouldn't claim it, even if it is within his legal right.
Sara breaks down, sobbing in his arms. They sit on the floor for a long time until Sara's tears are finally spent and she can calmly and rationally agree to marry him. She declares after they are wed, there won't by any "his" and "hers" it will all be "ours" including Sara's unborn child. They kiss. It's so passionate, Ethan's fire melted Sara's ice to become cool, cleansing, water.
Sara finds Ethan in the barn the next day. They make out some more before remembering they need to go inside together to tell Jon and Maddie their happy news.
The wedding will be held the very next day. Sara even shampoos her hair for the occasion. She must really love him.
Phillip is glad Ethan will be his new papa. The bishop and his wife arrive. Aunt Ellie (see the last book) her husband and kids and Maddie's parents arrive to observe the ceremony. Sara wears Maddie's white temple dress with flowers in her dark hair. No one has any objections why these two should not be legally and lawfully wed.
There's a wedding supper afterwards before Ethan and Sara take the stairs to Sara's bedroom, now the honeymoon suite.
They remain in bed for a good part of the next day.

Chapter 8      Where Hearts Meet 

Ethan has already made arrangements to use part of Sara's money to purchase a lot and build a home. Sara loves the idea and can't wait for the baby to be born so they can begin their new life together as a new family.

The following Sunday, everyone just returned from church when a visitor arrives from Boston. It's Mr. Saunders, the private detective Sara contacted before she left. He did some investigating and is here to warn Sara the man responsible for Harrison's death might make his move today. Jon and Maddie insist Mr. Saunders stay for Sunday dinner.

They're just finishing up when Sara's attorney from Boston, Geoffrey Warren, comes knocking. He and Saunders took the same train. They joke about the coincidence of ending up here. Conversation turns to Sara's late husband when Saunders abruptly excuses himself.

Geoffery asks to speak privately with Sara who leads him into the parlor. Ethan tags along as a silent observer. The bad men most likely responsible for her late husband's death contacted Geoffery, demanding the money. His legal advice to Sara is to just hand over the amount they're demanding. That way nobody gets hurt.

Sara is appalled. What kind of lame attorney travels all the way from Boston without any legal documents that will hold up in court to back up his own crazy advice? There's something suspicious about all of this. 

Sara smiles and plays her trump card: she can't hand over any money. There is no money! Sara Hartford, wealthy widow, no longer exists. At this point, Ethan steps in and puts his arm around Sara. May we introduce Mrs. Ethan Caldwell, who can no longer claim her late husband's money.

Geoffery turns red with anger. Realizing he's beat, he picks up his briefcase and exits the house in a huff.

Mr. Saunders surprises them with his presence; snuck in by way of the back door and overheard everything. Turns out, Harrison got involved in the opium trade, lost all his money and was murdered by none other than his own attorney, Geoffery Warren, hoping to cash in on the scheme to rob Sara for the debts owing. Saunders already alerted the police who will apprehend the naughty attorney before he can escape on the next train East. Everyone is grateful to Saunders for clearing up this whole mess.

Three days after Christmas, Sara goes into labor. The baby girl (Hannah) is born with little difficulty but complications arise while Sara is struggling to deliver the afterbirth. She moans and faints. Experiencing déjà vu,  Ethan starts to freak out. He's losing his first wife all over again! Jon orders Ethan out. Holding his new daughter, Ethan allows Maddie to guide him into another room where he breaks down. Maddie gives him a pep talk and the "all clear" is sounded. Sara is out of danger. She's alive and everything is going to be okay from now on.

Epilogue     

Sterling, Utah-1906 

Four years later, Mona keeps house in Ethan and Sara's new home. Sara joined the church. Ethan baptized her, of course. They got sealed in the temple just before the twins were born. That was two years ago. Phillip helps Ethan with the chores while three-year-old Hannah chases after her twin brothers. Ethan herds the children into the kitchen where he comes up behind Sara at the stove and kisses her on the neck. She scolds him before Ethan takes the little ones into the other room to read them a story.
And they all lived happily ever after.

THE END